


Back to you

by Ram92



Category: Iron Man (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Avengers: Age of Ultron (Movie), Avengers: Endgame (Movie), Avengers: Infinity War (Movie), Black Keys, Captain America: Civil War (Movie), Gen, Iron Man 2, Song Lyrics, Stream of Consciousness, The Avengers (2012) - Freeform, Tony Stark-centric, based on a black keys song, every little thing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-19
Updated: 2020-01-19
Packaged: 2021-02-27 15:09:27
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 968
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22319161
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ram92/pseuds/Ram92
Summary: A collection of thoughts and significative moments from Tony Stark's point of view over a period of time that stretches from Iron Man 2 to Endgame.Inspired by and based on the song Every Little Thing by The Black Keys.
Relationships: Morgan Stark (Marvel Cinematic Universe) & Tony Stark, Pepper Potts/Tony Stark, Peter Parker & Tony Stark, Steve Rogers & Tony Stark, Tony Stark & Avengers Team, Tony Stark & Everyone, Tony Stark & Ho Yinsen
Kudos: 2





	Back to you

**Back to you**

Every little thing

_When you look into the mirror_ _  
Do your secrets start to show?  
You’ve been holding onto something  
_ _That you wish you didn't know  
_ _Every little thing that you do  
Is always gonna come back to you  
  
_

Don’t waste your life, that’s what you said before dying in that cave.

And yet, the heart you gave me is killing me, poison climbing through my veins. And I don’t know what to do about it. There’s nothing I can do. I am dying anyway, just like you buddy.

I don’t know if this few years you gave me were worth it. Your life, I mean. I have put a stop to random mass production of Stark Industries, I’ve tried to fix it, I’ve done my best, but how many would you have saved with your patient hands? Why did you chose to save me? There seems to be no end of all the times I went wrong. And they all seem to come back to me, just when I start thinking that I’ve finally made the balance at least even.

  
_So put your hand into the hair  
_ _Of someone that you love_ _  
Pretty face, let her hand,  
_ _Anything you’re dreaming of_ _  
Every little thing that you do  
Is always gonna come back to you  
  
_

She’s the one thing that I’ll always be grateful for. The one thing you gave me enough time for.

She’ll be able to handle all of my mess, when I’m gone. She’ll make it right. Appointing her as CEO maybe is what is gonna make it right, in the end.

I won’t tell her, of course. That I’m dying. I tried, but it just didn’t work. I can’t seem to make anything right, these days, I’m wasting all the little time that I was left with. I was better off when I didn’t bother trying, when I didn’t care. Maybe I should stop pretending I’m some sort of superhero and get back to who I really am. A rich spoiled millionaire with some inclination for alcohol and robotics.

After all, I did what I had to do. She’s gonna make it right.

  
_Hold on  
Count your blessings  
Road's long  
_ _And it ain't always smooth_ _  
Every little thing that you do  
Is always gonna come back to you  
  
_

I don’t know why I was given this. Not a second, but a third chance. Not just to live, but to make it right, this time. I won’t waste it. I’ll do my best.

These people, this group of ‘remarkable people’, we can do something together. We can make everyone safe. The Avengers... it seems that someone always has to die to put me in the right direction. One should learn, you would think.

We made it, we saved the world, and I almost died for it. Is that enough to repay my debt?

And yet these kids hate me, and they’re right. The bomb that destroyed their family had my signature on it, just like many others. Just when I thought I finally had the chance to make it even, just when I thought I had learnt from my mistakes... I’ve just created another weapon of mass destruction.

Maybe Cap is right, I can’t do this alone. We need to do this together. And here’s another mother blaming me for the death of her kid. I can’t decide on the fate of the world on my own. None of us can, we only need to stick together and offer our best. That’s what you taught me, Rogers, don’t ruin everything now. I can’t forgive you this time, even though I know it’s not your fault. I’ll move on. I’ll build something new. I’ll move upstate and manage with what’s left. I’ll keep an eye on this Parker boy. Just to see him fade into ashes right into my arms.

Another doctor chose to save my life again and half of the galaxy died for it. I just can’t start all of this all over again. There’s nothing I can give to make it up this time.

  
_Build a house, fill it up  
Make your part, making love  
Doin’ right, doin' wrong  
Livin' life like a song  
Every little thing that you do  
Is always gonna come back to you  
  
_

I thought I had finally understood what you meant, Yinsen.

I had a wife and a daughter, just like you did. I had learnt to live with my demons and my regrets, to keep them at bay. I thought I realized how ambitious it was of me to even think I could make things even. I thought I had finally learnt my lesson.

Then they came to my house by the lake.

This time, when I understood I could still do something, I didn’t do it for you. I wanted to be with my family, just like you did. I knew you hadn’t died just for my sake. I could see that now. But the kid wasn’t ready to go.

I found it kind of ironic that it was another doctor to tell me how to die. Just when I thought I had learnt your lesson, just when I had become a man who truly had everything.

  
_Hold on  
Count your blessings  
The road's long  
_ _And it ain't always smooth_ _  
Every little thing that you do  
Is always gonna come back to you  
Oh, back to you_

It has been a long road to bring me here. It hasn’t been easy.

But I didn’t waste my life, in the end.

I’m not sure I’ve made things even. I can only hope Morgan won’t hate me for this, that she’ll find a way to understand and forgive me for not being there.

But I did everything I could. Pepper says I can rest now.

**Author's Note:**

> The lyrics in italics are from Every Little Thing by The Black Keys, which I recommend.  
> It's all their fault, really.


End file.
